Aerangis somalensis Schltr.

Species

Angiosperms > Asparagales > Orchidaceae > Aerangis

Characteristics

Stem short, upright, bearing numerous greyish, flexuous roots, 5–7 mm. in diameter.. Leaves 2–6, distichous, oblong-ligulate, 2–11 cm. long, 1.3–3.4 cm. wide, leathery, greyish green, with a markedly reticulate venation darker coloured and raised on the upper surface, conspicuous even in the dried state, unequally or subequally bilobed at the apex, the lobes subacute or rounded, 5–15 mm. long, margins thickened and undulate, sometimes the whole leaf with a pink or reddish cast, others pale green.. Inflorescences arising below the leaves, usually several, 10–20 cm. long, bearing 4–17 flowers; bracts brownish, ovate, up to 5 mm. long.. Flowers white, sometimes tinged with pink, 1–2 cm. apart; pedicellate ovary 1.5–2 cm. long.. Dorsal sepal arching forward over the column, ovate, concave, apiculate, 8–10 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide; lateral sepals oblique or reflexed, oblong-ligulate, concave, apiculate, 9–14 mm. long, 3–5 mm. wide.. Petals spreading, oblong-apiculate, 8–11 mm. long, 3–5.5 mm. wide.. Lip oblong-ligulate, the margins reflexed in the lower half, apiculate, 9–13 mm. long, 4–7 mm. wide.. Spur straight or slightly curved, sometimes slightly inflated in the lower half but narrowing again towards the tip, 10–15 cm. long.. Column rather thick, to 4 mm. high; anther-cap slightly beaked; pollinia globose, 0.8 mm. long; stipes slender but enlarged in the upper third; viscidium ovoid, 1–1.5 mm. long, with outer margins rolled over the pointed rostellum.. Fig. 132.
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Plants epiphytic; stems to 15 mm tall; leaves 2-6, oblanceolate, deeply and subequally bilobed, lobes obtuse to acute, grey-green with a raised darker reticulation on the upper surface, 45-110 x 20-30 mm. Inflorescences of several pendent racemes borne below the leaves, 100-200 mm long and with 4-17 flowers; peduncles with one or two sheaths 5 mm long; bracts amplexicaul, 3 mm long. Flowers white; pedicel plus ovary slender, c. 15 mm long. Sepals subequal; median erect, arching over the gynostemium, elliptic, slightly apiculate, 8-12 x 4-7 mm; laterals ligulate-elliptic, apiculate, 9-14 x 3-5 mm. Petals oblong, apiculate, 8-13 x 3-6 mm, reflexed. Lip narrowly oblong, rounded-apiculate, 9-15 x 4-7 mm; spur slender, sometimes somewhat swollen in the lower third, 100-120 mm long. Gynostemium 5 mm tall.
Leaves 2–6, distichous, 2–11 × 1.3–3.4 cm, oblong-ligulate to sub-orbicular, unequally or subequally 2-lobed at the apex; the lobes subacute or rounded, the longer to 15 mm long; lamina grey-green or purple-green, with raised, darker reticulate venation.
Lip 9–13 × 4–7 mm, oblong-ligulate, apiculate, the margins reflexed in lower half; spur 10–15 cm long, straight or slightly curved, sometimes coiled in bud, slightly swollen in apical half but narrowing towards the tip.
Epiphyte. Stems up to 50 mm long. Leaves thick with conspicuous, reticulate, darker-coloured venation. Lip smooth at base. Spur 100-120 mm long. Flowers white, sometimes tinged with pink.
Dorsal sepal arching over the column, 8–12 × 4–6 mm, ovate, apiculate; lateral sepals oblique or reflexed, 9–14 × 3–5 mm, oblong-ligulate or oblanceolate, concave, apiculate.
Inflorescences arising below the leaves, 10–20 cm long, 2–17-flowered.
Short-stemmed epiphytic herb; roots numerous, 5–7 mm in diameter.
Column stout, to 4 mm long; anther cap slightly beaked.
Petals spreading, 8–12 × 3–5.5 mm, oblong-apiculate.
Flowers white, sometimes pink-tinged.
Bracts to 5 mm long, brown, ovate.
Pedicel and ovary 15–20 mm long.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support epiphyte
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.01
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture 7-8
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Aerangis somalensis world distribution map, present in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, United Republic of, South Africa, and Zimbabwe

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:615059-1
WFO ID wfo-0000842215
COL ID 64Z92
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Angraecum somalense Aerangis somalensis